DALLAS, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR
WIRE/ — Hoteliers in popular trade show cities are faring better in 2010 than
the last two years. The September 2010 Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®), released
early last week by  Hotels.com®,
illustrated a 2% global increase in average hotel room rates paid in the
beginning half of this year for the first time since the end of 2007. Business
travelers can still find great deals as average 2010 room rates are comparable
to 2004 rate levels.

Popular tradeshow cities such as New York,
Washington, D.C., Boston, Las Vegas, Atlanta, Dallas, and Toronto were
consistent with the global findings found in the HPI with each city showing
increased hotel rates of varying degrees. However, Chicagos rates stayed
steady since 2009, while San Diego and Orlandos room rates are still
falling. 

“Business capitals of the world such
as New York, London, and Singapore are seeing significant price rises
again,” said Victor Owens, vice president of marketing, North America for
Hotels.com. “The return of corporate travel, more so in North America than
in Europe, has been and continues to be a key factor to stabilize and even
improve hotel room rates.”

Hoteliers, who relied heavily on corporate
travel, lowered room rates in 2009 to record lows as an attempt to fill rooms
and meet occupancy quotes. With the gradual return of business travel in 2010,
hotel room rates are slowly rising but can be still found at affordable prices
reminiscent of rates from 2004.

For more information on the latest
Hotels.com Hotel Price Index, a detailed breakdown of average room rates in
domestic and international cities as well as state-by-state, and info-graphics
please go to the HPI micro site www.hotel-price-index.com

Key
Findings and Report Highlights:

— San Diego and Orlandos rates have
fallen since last year, making them ideal for business travelers and some of
the best locations for meeting planners to book their next event.

— Chicagos rates have stayed steady with
an average room rate of $137.

— The Big Apple was the most expensive
domestic city of those tracked in the global list. Prices averaged $224 per
room per night during Q2 2010 – an increase of 13 percent compared to average
room rates in 2009.

— Trade show cities such as Las Vegas, New
York City, Orlando, and Chicago rank as the top four U.S. destinations for
travelers. 

— The average price paid per room by U.S.
travelers when traveling domestically is $114.

— Following is a list of cities popular
with business travelers in the North America:

+
Prices from Hotels.com September 2010 Hotel Price Index

*Prices
from Hotels.com March 2010 Hotel Price Index

— Abu Dhabi, the market with the largest
decline in prices, fell by 46 percent between Q2 2009 and Q2 2010. A hotel room
that would have cost a U.S. traveler $304 during the first six months of 2009
cost a traveler just $163 this year – a drop of $141.

— International cities also known as
business hubs such as London, Paris, and Toronto ranked in the top 10 overseas
destinations for U.S. travelers.

— The Asia-Pacific market bottomed out in
late 2009 and is now recovering with rates rising in Shanghai, Singapore,
Seoul, and Hong Kong. 

— $161 is the average price paid per room
by U.S. travelers when traveling internationally.

— Following is a list of international
cities popular with business travelers:

+
Prices from Hotels.com September 2010 Hotel Price Index

*Prices
from Hotels.com March 2010 Hotel Price Index

About the HPI

The Hotels.com® Hotel Price Index™ (HPI®)
is a regular survey of hotel prices in major city destinations across the
world. The HPI is based on bookings made on Hotels.com and prices shown are
those actually paid by customers (rather than advertised rates) in the first
half (and particularly Q2) of 2010.

Now in its seventh year, the HPI is
respected as the definitive report on hotel prices paid around the world and
increasingly used as a reference tool by media, analysts, tourism bodies and
academics.

About Hotels.com

Hotels.com® is a leading provider of
lodging worldwide, offering more than 85,000 properties in over 60 countries
from national chain hotels and all-inclusive resorts to local favorites and bed
& breakfasts. Hotels.com is the smarter way to book travel by offering  welcomerewards®, an industry leading loyalty
rewards program; the real opinions of other travelers captured in over 1.5
million Guest Reviews and;  a Price
Match Guarantee, so that those booking with Hotels.com can be assured they are
getting the best deal, either online or by speaking directly to a travel expert
at 1-800-2-HOTELS 24 hours a day. For more information, please visit
hotels.com. Hotels.com is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE).
Please visit the Hotels.com Travel Smart Blog for consumer and business travel
information. Follow us on Twitter via www.twitter.com/hotelsdotcom, on Facebook
at www.facebook.com/hotelsdotcom and take a VirtualVacation at
www.virtualvacay.com. Detailed Hotel Price Index data is available at:
www.hotel-price-index.com, Hotels.com, A Smarter Way to Book™.

Hotels.com, Hotel Price Index, HPI and the
Hotels.com logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Hotels.com,
LP. Other logos or products and company names mentioned herein may be the
property of their respective owners © 2010 Hotels.com, LP. All rights reserved.
CST # 2083949-50

SOURCE Hotels.com